The so-called People’s Party to Knut Arild Hareide received only 5.6 percent of the vote in the last parliamentary elections and at about the same level in recent polls. The party that was founded in 1933, is a centrist who even says it derives its core values of “Bible, the Christian heritage and fundamental human rights”.
1. Descending support
Two KrF-ers have managed to climb to the top in Norwegian politics and becoming prime ministers, Lars Korvald and Kjell Magne Bondevik. Those times KrF has had the largest following, the two major parties, Labor and the Conservatives ahead lost an EU voting against the majority of the country’s voters.
In 1997, when Bondevik formed a centrist government, the party won its highest support ever, 13.7 percent. The party had when it was seen as a good main issue – the introduction of cash – and a popular prime.
Since then, the party gradually lost support.
2. Deteriorating recruitment to the church
– KrF is a value party built on the conviction that the values of Christianity is the best basis for developing policy solutions for our community, said the party’s program.
When the party is now fighting hard against Sunday opening stores and to help quota refugees from Syria, the Christian Democratic involvement traced directly to the commandment “You shall keep the Sabbath day holy” and Christian fundamental view that “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
But Christianity’s position in Norway weakened year by year. Although Christian-Norway also consists of faiths outside the Norwegian Church, gives fresh church statistics an indication that it may become an increasingly strørre challenge for a Christian party to grow into a people’s party:
There are fewer wanting ecclesiastical funeral, fewer participate in services, fewer Confirmation in the church and perhaps worst of all from the church’s point of view: Only just over 35,000 were baptized last year – under six in ten now choose to carry their children to baptism.
3. Non-Christian faiths grow
While fewer choose Christianity ecclesiastical rituals at important milestones in life, growing other religions and belief in Norway. Until last congress indicated KrF-called confession statement that example. a Muslim could not hold office in the party.
This paragraph upset Abid Q. Raja when he in 2002 sniffed KrF, but discovered that the party’s statutes excluded him from having positions.
– It’s racist policies, he said to Our Country.
According confession clause to all representatives profess the Christian faith. Now states that officers “are committed and will work for the party’s Christian core values …”
Although many Muslims can feel at home in a party that fights for traditional family structures, the marriage between gays and for a restrictive alcohol policy, it is not certain they see it as natural to engage in KrF.
Growth in non-Christian faiths will in that case not increasing recruitment for the Christian People’s Party.
4. People want alcohol
Besides the Christian commitment is KrF known for its restrictive alcohol policy. Neither here goes trends in KrF favor.
It’s a long time since the temperance movement was a popular movement. The battle for quite polder municipalities – without neither licensed premises or other sales of alcohol – is no longer any local vinnersak for a party.
As late as the 90s abounded that of municipalities in Norway that banned the sale of beer in dagligvarebutikker.Siste municipality ølmonopol disappeared in 2012. Gone are also Christian Democrat battle for Saturday closed liquor store. Party last election campaign with drug policy a top priority in 2003, when the party fought against the sale of alcopops (alcoholic Cider and Smirnoff Ice) in grocery stores.
96 percent of the population currently has less than 30 km to the nearest liquor store, and 100 municipalities are lining up to get a separate polutsalg.
After the election is duty free quota for alcohol increased for those who can not bring tobacco. Avoidance man Hareide must only register that Vinmonopolet reached a milestone Thursday this week: retail 300th opened. Now fighting KrF towards increased tax-free sales and anything else that undermines pole. For fall pole, increasing the availability of alcohol even more.
5. Large proportion last time voters?
No parties will boast of having the most recent time voters, but KrF it probably does well in this group.
There are worse with turnout among first-time voters. Only 4 percent of them voted KrF previous elections. It is little consolation that it is up from 1 percent in 2009. The turnout among first-time voters was 8.7 percent in 2001 and 2005.
It is little consolation for Knut Arild Hareide that Audun Lysbakken SV struggling more at the polls. And it is not cheerful reading for KrF leader that the average age of his voters increased by almost a year from 2009 to 2013. None have older average voters than KrF.
KrF situation is not improved by the party now cooperating with FRP – a party that is Christian Democrat counterpart in several of the party’s most important issues: the vision of development policy, asylum and immigration policy, alcohol policy and in view of the use of biotechnology and gene technology.
Therefore, it is far from Hareide leading a people’s party.
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